|
When to refer a patient to IPCA |
 |
 |
 |
|
Friday, 07 August 2009 18:59 |
|
WHEN TO REFER FOR IPCA PAIN EVALUATION/TREATMENT
(ie: this is a place that does evaluation, diagnostic work up, treatment, and coordination of care…a place to send the patient when management in the primary care clinic is not working)
- Evaluation (not just “end of the line” treatment!) of subacute and chronic back pain and sciatica and headaches and neuropathies. Urgent evaluation of persistent (outlasting the immediate acute phase of 1-3 weeks) pain following a nerve injury.
- For help with pharmacotherapy.
- Evaluation of any painful condition where straightforward interventions done at the primary care level - such as medication, physical therapy, and complementary medicine techniques have failed to progress the patient.
- Evaluation of patients with prominent psychosocial barriers to improvement in function and comfort. Addiction disorders will need to be evaluated first, if they exist. Call for referral suggestions. (Refer for multidisciplinary evaluation - both physician and pain psychologist).
- Evaluation of a chronically painful condition (greater than 3 months) for which the cause is not clear. We specialize in diagnosis!
- Evaluation of any clearly understood chronically painful condition for which the range of treatment options are not clear, or local options have been exhausted. (for example, subacute and chronic back pain or neck pain, headache).
- Evaluation for candidacy for specific pain relieving therapy or research programs outlined in the IPCA website (Physician, psychologist, and/or orthopedic medicine evaluation, depending on the nature of the treatment in question).
- interventional techniques such as IDETT, vertebroplasty, neuromodulation, injections, thermal nucleoplasty.
- cognitive therapy such as biofeedback and relaxation training./Neck pain following whiplash that persists past 2 months/Zoster-associated pain, the earlier the better.
- For compression fracture pain
- Evaluation of any painful condition that threatens the patient’s ability to perform job duties (impending disability).
|
|
Last Updated on Friday, 17 July 2009 20:40 |
Intergrative Pain Center of Arizona
Copyright © 2009 Integrative Pain Center of Arizona. All Rights Reserved. Photographs Copyright © Michael Malley.
The Right Care at the Right Time Phone: 520 797-7246 fax: 520 795-4249
When to refer
